Kodaka
was a freelance shinobi. Background Kodaka was born into a family of bee users. As the firstborn, Kodaka was the only one taught how to control the bees, granting him a symbiotic relationship similar to Aburame. Unlike the Aburame, whose insects lived within their bodies, Kodaka's bees lived upon his body, which he kept covered with a large coat. His younger brother, Kiiro, always envied Kodaka, not only because he believed he was more deserving of the family's secrets, but because he, as the secondborn, was expected to give his life to protect Kodaka. Historically, the bees were kept for their honey, which would then be sold as food and medicine in order to support the family. But after their parents died, honey alone wasn't enough for Kodaka and Kiiro to support themselves and their much younger brothers, Ōmitsu and Komitsu. Because of this, Kiiro convinced Kodaka to start taking freelance work from hidden villages. To that end, Kodaka substituted his honey bees for a species of poisonous bees, whose poison could kill targets after only two stings. Kodaka and Kiiro were very successful in their work, especially once employed by Kirigakure. Yet Kodaka didn't have the same taste for the work that Kiiro did, and moreover regretted the separation from Ōmitsu and Komitsu. They were eventually attached to a team of Kiri hunter-nin assigned to capture Kisame Hoshigaki of Akatsuki. Upon finding Kisame, the hunter-nin were quickly killed. Kodaka managed to sting Kisame once with his bees, but couldn't land a second sting before Kisame's partner, Itachi Uchiha, forced them to retreat. Kodaka knew they were fortunate to escape with their lives and wanted to return to Ōmitsu and Komitsu, as they'd made enough money from their previous missions. Kiiro refused, too motivated by the fame they could achieve by killing Kisame. Fearful about what would happen, Kodaka wrote a letter to Ōmitsu and Komitsu, telling them he loved and missed them. He had one of his bees deliver the letter to them, unwittingly giving Itachi and Kisame a way of tracking them down. Kiiro, still weak from his previous fight with Itachi, couldn't contribute much and Kodaka's bees couldn't land the second sting on Kisame without Kiiro's help. When Itachi tried to kill Kiiro with a Great Fireball Technique, Kodaka leapt in front of the attack and used himself as a shield. Although the bees covering his body minimized some of the damage, Kodaka's body was still badly burned. Kodaka knew they wouldn't be able to escape from Itachi and Kisame. So he had his bees swarm Kiiro and sting him, numbing him so badly that he couldn't move or speak. He then shouted a lifetime of frustrations at Kiiro: Kiiro's jealousy, his rudeness, and for forcing him into shinobi work; although beekeeping was difficult, it was something safe that the family could do together. Kodaka plunged a kunai through the swarm at Kiiro's heart, then used the same kunai to stab his own heart. With his last breath, Kodaka confessed that, despite everything, he, just like Ōmitsu and Komitsu, loved Kiiro. His bees grew agitated by his death, forcing Kisame and Itachi to flee the area. Afterwards, Kisame guessed that it was a mere brothers' quarrel. But Itachi suspected that the apparent murder-suicide was an act, a way for Kodaka to save Kiiro, though he chose not to confirm this. Indeed, Kiiro survived and heard everything that Kodaka said. When the numbness from the bees' stings subsided, he found that Kodaka had even transferred control of his bees to Kiiro. Kiiro, feeling responsible for Kodaka's death, returned to Ōmitsu and Komitsu, using the bees' honey to support the family just like Kodaka always wanted.